Tag Archives: Fairchild Republic

Despite the fact that many, including top military experts and members of the US Congress, have giant doubts about the ground support fight-ability of the US Air Force without the Fairchild Republic A-10C Thunderbolt II, the military top brass seems eager to push forward with its retirement.

The first two A-10 squadrons will be decommissioned in 2018, followed by another two in 2019, sources within the US Air Force have confirmed. This means the loss of 49 aircraft a year. Speeding up thereafter 2020 will see the disbandment of three squadrons (64 A-10s) and 2021 four squadrons (96 Thunderbolts).

Close-Air Support

Putting money aside for the new Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II is the main reason why the US Air Force top generals push on with their decision, amid fears especially among US Army personnel as well as those concerned for their health and their unit’s survive chances. The F-35 will never be a close-air support (CAS) asset up to the task, they feel.

High-ranking concerns

Even some of the USAF high-ranking officers have expressed their concern, hoping that US Congress will give the armed service more money to keep the A-10s flying, as well as additional cash to keep enough manpower in place to service and pilot them.

Jousting, F-35 vs A-10

There is, however, a slight glimmer of hope. The US Department of Defence has announced a CAS “jousting” for the F-35 versus the A-10 in 2018. Rather late, but probably due to the fact that the Pentagon needs more time to prep the far from ready-developed new stealthy multi-role fighter. Advocators for the A-10 – including former high-ranking Air Force officers – are now strongly suggesting the Air Force to not “boneyard” any A-10 until the CAS tests of the F-35 are done.

In an attempt to boost Europe’s defenses in an attempt to scare of Russia, the US Air Force now sent a so-called Theater Security Package of 12 Republic Fairchild A-10 thunderbolt II attack jets to Romania on 30 March 2015. The A-10s arrived from Germany, where they were previously deployed.

RELATED FEATURE: A-10 Theater Security Package arrives at Spangdahlem

The dozen Warthogs – as the nickname for the planes go – landed at Câmpia Turzii, where six USAF F-16C Fighting Falcons from Spangdahlem Airbase last month had been training with the Romanian Air Force’s 71st Air Base’s Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21s as well, the Lancers of A, B (ground attack) and C (interceptor) versions that call Campia Turzii home. The A-10s will be their guests for three months and are from the 354th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron from Davis-Monthan AFB, and immediately came in action a day later by “taking out” a car that served as training target on the ground.

Many of the joint training missions flown have been labeled Dacian Thunder 2015. According to Romanian Air Force sources they will involve 11 of the 12 American A-10s, but only four of the officially 36 Romanian MiG-21s, plus six license-built IAR-330 Puma helicopters in both SOCAT (assault) and medevac configuration.

The close-air support that the US Air Force provides to ground troops will in the near future no longer be executed by the A-team, but by the F-team. Despite sending A-10C attack aircraft to Iraq, Syria and Europe, the Pentagon top brass seems eager to keep moving forward with retiring the plane best equipped for the task. According to a fresh report by The Washington Post CAS will be done by standard fighter jets instead.

For many air forces having so-called multi-role fighters doing everything is business as usual, since they don’t have the luxury of having specialized planes for specialized tasks. A larger military like the US Air Force should be able to protect and support its men and women in combat in a more profound way.

Stealthy fighter jets and high-flying drones won’t do all the tricks needed. Built around a big gun and with wings that can hold almost anything the Fairchild Republic A-10C Thunderbolt II is the best plane on the battlefield when it comes down to close-air support. As long as the threat from enemy air-superiority fighters is handled with care by planes well suited for that role – like the stealthy Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptors and F-35 Lighting IIs.

The F-15E was designed to strike and is a derivative of the F-15C meant as air-superiority fighter. Due to its large wings the Strike Eagle can be spotted easily from miles away once it starts moving around.

The smaller F-16 is commonly used in the close-air support role by many air forces, but the plane with the nickname Viper is much more vulnerable to small arms fire. A Viper jock cannot have one of its engine castings been blown to pieces by low-tech hostiles on the ground – it only has one engine, while the A-10 pilot can still fly and land the plane even if it sustained considerable damage. War operations like the one above former Yugoslavia in 1990s have shown this.

And then there is the issue of pilot safety. The F-15s and F-16s might be able to fly faster, but in hilly or mountainous terrain speed is not always a solution. Moreover, Strike Eagles and Fighting Falcons don’t have an armoured cockpit like the A-10s have – something that is quite useful when being fired upon from below by cheap Kalashnikov rifles.

Going forward with retiring the A-10 and letting close-air support being provided by standard fighter jets alone, will both reduce safety and security for the fighter jocks and the men and women on the ground the US Air Force has vowed to protect and serve. Even the top generals must admit that, having sent A-10s quickly to the Iraqi battlefield to fight ISIS and to Europe as a necessary safety back-up with Russia rising. Without the A-10 or a credible successor the American air weapon will move itself from being an A-team to a B-team when it comes to CAS – no matter what new tactics are cooked up.

US Air Force A-10 Thunderbolts arrived at Spandahlem Airbase in Germany on 13 February 2015. The twelve tank killers are part of the first US Theater Security Package (TSP) to be deployed to Europe. The USAF’s announcement of this TSP came as a surprise on 10 February 2015.

The A-10s involved belong to the 355th Fighter Wing at Davis Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona. The aircraft flew to Spangdahlem via Langley AFB in Virginia and Lajes in the Azores (great footage here) in the Atlantic Ocean. Support came from a 305th Air Mobility Wing KC-10 Extender, while upon arrival a pair of Royal Canadian Air Force CF-188 Hornets were playing around in the airspace near Spangdahlem as well.

EmergencyThe arrival didn’t go smoothly – two made an emergency divert to Amsterdam-Schiphol Airport in the Netherlands. According to eye-witnesses one landed hard with a fair amount of smoke and ending next to the runway on a taxiway. His buddy landed shortly afterwards and taxied to the eastern part of the busy international airport. No big damage done, but a minor smudge for the PR guys and girls it is.

The Thunderbolts will stay in Europe for up to six months. The USAF has said this is the first of more Theater Security Packages. Although by far nothing compared to the huge annual exercise Reforger during the Cold War, the sudden order to send a squadron of a dozen “Warthogs” to strengthen the defences in Europe is seen as a clear sign to Vladimir Putin.

In Washington’s eyes the Russian president has destabilized Europe by first taking the Crimean peninsula in Ukraine and then increasingly supporting separation of Eastern Ukraine from the rest of that country with weapons and troops.

The A-10 Thunderbolt returns to Europe. A dozen tank killers belonging to 355th Fighter Wing at Davis Monthan AFB in Arizona are deploying to Spangdahlem airbase in Germany this February. The deployment is part of a Theater Security Package (TSP) which in turn is part of operation ‘Atlantic Resolve’, according to the US Air Force.

The A-10s are set to be ready at Spangdahlem by the end of the month. The A-10s are the first of several TSP deployments to Europe. Rotations will generally last six months, depending on requirements. Although a first in Europe, the US has been conducting similar TSP rotations in the Pacific region since 2004. Kunsan in South Korea and Kadena in Japan regulary host Theater Security Packages.

The return of the A-10 to Europe comes just shy of two years after the last Spangdahlem-based A-10C Thunderbolt left Germany and headed Stateside. At the American airbase in the German Eiffel, the A-10s were part of 81st ‘Panthers’ Fighter Squadron. The unit was de-activated, leaving Spangdahlem with only F-16CJ Fighting Falcons.

MainstayFor over three decades, the A-10 – also known as Warthog – was a US Air Force mainstay in Europe, with dozens of aircraft being based in the UK and forward deployed locations in Germany. They were facing the same opponent as the aircaft deploying to Spangdahlem are now. With Russia flexing it muscles, the US obviously feels the need to do the same.

However, the movement to Europe also comes at a time when the A-10 is under close scrutiny within the US, with the Pentagon looking to retire numbers of A-10s. US Congress doesn’t want this to happen, with former presidential candidate John McCain being out spoken in favour of the A-10. McCain is also in favour of a more agressive stance towards Russia, and he is Senator for Arizona… home state of the 355th Fighter Wing now headed for Spangdahlem.